Tag Archives: Hyperbaric

Nipple delay

Wondering what a nipple delay is? I was too! I hadn’t heard of this procedure until Angelina Jolie announced to the world that she underwent a prophylactic double mastectomy and this procedure was part of the process.

Since that announcement, many different articles and opinions have been published. A lot of them positive, but a few negative. That’s another post for another day. A few pieces did provide more information on the nipple delay procedure.

What is nipple delay?

During the nipple delay procedure, the surgeon makes an incision in the skin and severs the breast tissue and blood vessels directly beneath the nipple (it remains attached to the surrounding skin). Due to this, the nipple is no longer dependent upon the blood supply directly beneath it and becomes accustomed to getting its blood supply through the skin. According to the Pink Lotus Breast Center blog, it actually recruits additional blood flow not previously established.

This is an uncommon procedure. If it is elected, it is performed some time before the mastectomy; two weeks for Angelina Jolie.

Why have a nipple delay?

Surgical nipple delay is used to decrease likelihood of nipple necrosis, which can occur because of loss of blood supply and can lead to nipple loss, following a nipple-sparing mastectomy.

Breast skin is fragile after mastectomy. If it’s exceptionally thin after the breast tissue is cut away or is handled too roughly, it may die. The same result may occur if the breast surgeon severs too many blood vessels that feed the skin or uses eletrocautery too aggressively and burns the inside of the skin, which may then blister and die.
– Steligo, Kathy. Breast Reconstruction Guidebook: Issues and Answers from Research to Recovery. Maryland: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012. Print, third edition.

I was not informed of this option prior to my own nipple-sparing mastectomy. My compromised blood flow resulted in necrosis on my left breast and I lost a nipple. If you are interested in reading about my bout with necrosis (including photos) and the hyperbaric treatment I underwent in an effort to thwart it, please read Tissue necrosis.

Related articles:

Surgical Delay of the Nipple–Areolar Complex: A Powerful Technique to Maximize Nipple Viability Following Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy (annsurgoncol.org)
Angelina Jolie’s ‘nipple delay’ procedure, explained (NYmag.com)
A patient’s journey: Angelina Jolie (PinkLotusBreastCenter.com)

Source of Figure 1.1: Steligo, Kathy. Breast Reconstruction Guidebook: Issues and Answers from Research to Recovery. Maryland: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012. Print, third edition.

One month later

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It has been one month since my prophylactic nipple-sparing bilateral mastectomy. How am I doing? Here’s an update:

I am now driving and no longer need a chauffeur.
Sneezing still hurts.
Got clearance to resume aerobic exercise, but no running or jumping.
Planning on going back to work in less than two weeks. Eek!
I am not a fan of these expanders. They are hard as rocks.
Still no expansions/fills. We are waiting for the necrotic area to heal. The large scab is slowly lifting at the edges. I trim it so it doesn’t get caught on clothes.
Had the 14th and last hyperbaric treatment today. Not sure how much of the healing can be attributed to the treatments, though. The wound has definitely gotten better, not worse, so it didn’t hurt. My breast surgeon believes that it saved Dusky!
Some bruising has developed on my right side, right over the fill port, so I stopped massaging the skin and expanders. Still using the cocoa butter oil with vitamin E.
Making progress in getting back full range of motion. I am happy to report a small victory – I can now bring my arms all the way to the floor during the floor/towel exercise at 13:10 in this post-op exercise video. Big accomplishment!
Haven’t gotten any bills yet, but I know they’ll be pouring in soon.

Overall my recovery has been going great! The complications I’ve had are relatively minor and I am happy that it has not been worse.

Tissue necrosis

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WARNING: NSFW / graphic content below.

What is necrosis?

One of the risks associated with a mastectomy, or any surgery, is tissue necrosis. This occurs when the blood supply is compromised and the cells aren’t receiving enough oxygen; the skin begins to die. As this happens, it turns black and hardens into a scab. Although the dead tissue can be removed (debridement), it cannot be brought back to life. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can be used to treat surrounding tissue – more on this in another post: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Breast skin is fragile after mastectomy. If it’s exceptionally thin after the breast tissue is cut away or is handled too roughly, it may die. The same result may occur if the breast surgeon severs too many blood vessels that feed the skin or uses eletrocautery too aggressively and burns the inside of the skin, which may then blister and die.
– Steligo, Kathy. Breast Reconstruction Guidebook: Issues and Answers from Research to Recovery. Maryland: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012. Print, third edition.

My case

Nipple necrosis was one of my big worries when I was struggling to decide whether my prophylactic bilateral mastectomy was going to be nipple-sparing. I did a lot of research and talked to both of my surgeons about it. Check out my earlier posts on the topic: Nipples, pecs,bras, OH MY! and Let’s give them a chance.

Left nipple day of PBM

I had the unfortunate chance to experience necrosis in the area of the left nipple and skin directly underneath it. The day of my surgery, we could already see that there may be a problem. The left nipple looked “dusky.” On day six, the sterile strips covering the bottom of the nip and the incision underneath it were removed and we discovered a bit of a mess there as well. In the next 24 hours, the area turned black. A little panicked, I reached out to my PS for his guidance. I was told to just sit tight, because there really isn’t anything that could be done. I washed the area with anti-bac soap and kept an eye on it.

Over the coming days, the small area of necrosis changed shape a bit, but did not get better. Check out the images below, which show the changes over a two-week period. The day I wrote this post, 18 days after PBM, some of the scabs on the nipple have fallen off, revealing bright pink skin underneath. The larger area of necrosis under the nipple is still covered with a tough, black scab. I have had four hyperbaric oxygen treatments in an effort to minimize the damage. More on that here: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

I am told that my nipple will be fine. Worst case scenario = scarring or discoloration in the area below the nipple as the scabs fall off. We shall see. I will post an update when that occurs.

2/22: Scab is slowly lifting up.

7/12: Scab is long gone and the pigment has returned.